The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has announced an “exceptional and unusual” increase in temperatures for this week. The ascent will be progressive, both at night and during the day, until Thursday and Friday, which are expected to be “the hottest days.” However, we will notice the increase in temperatures from this Tuesday when they will be between 5 and 10 degrees above normal in most of the country.
On the days that are expected to be hotter, Thursday and Friday, temperatures will exceed 30 degrees in almost all of Spain: Madrid will be around 31-32 degrees (the record for April in the capital is 30.1 degrees), and up to 34 -35 degrees in the Ebro Valley and the southern half of the peninsula, while in the Guadalquivir Valley 38 degrees, without ruling out 40 degrees, something “absolutely extraordinary” in April.
The minimum temperatures will also be high for the time of year in which we are. It is expected that on the nights of Thursday and Friday there will be “tropical nights in the south of the peninsula and the Mediterranean”, with lows of 20 degrees in AlmerÃa, Alicante, Jaén and Málaga.
According to Rubén del Campo, AEMET spokesperson, this unusual climate is caused by an air mass of African origin that will cross the Peninsula and that “could be the warmest located over Spain for these dates in, at least, the last 43 years”.
The spokesperson has also explained that the “exceptionally high” values ​​are due to the sum of three factors. The first factor is the air, which will cover North Africa before reaching our country at very low latitudes; the second factor is the situation of current atmospheric stability and, finally, the prevailing strong insolation, with the sun high on the horizon heating up strongly, in the event that the skies are clear.
Temperatures will gradually rise over the course of the week. During Monday, the Guadalquivir Valley will reach 32 degrees and the sky will remain clear throughout Spain and with hardly any rain.
On Tuesday, night and day values ​​in the Southeast will increase by 6 to 8 degrees compared to Monday. 28 degrees or more will be recorded in large areas of the country and even 34 degrees in the Guadalquivir Valley, the Region of Murcia and the Valencian Community.
In this way, on Wednesday 32 degrees will be exceeded in the Ebro Valley, inland in the Valencian Community, Castilla-La Mancha, southern Extremadura and areas of Andalusia, with Córdoba and Seville marking 37 degrees.
The spokesman recalled that the record in April for these two Andalusian cities is 35.4 degrees in Seville and 34 degrees in Cordoba, data, which in his opinion, give an idea of ​​how “extraordinary this episode is.”
In the Canary Islands, somewhat high temperatures are expected for the season, and from Wednesday and Thursday it will exceed 30 degrees in Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura.
However, there are areas of Spain that will get rid of the heat. Among them are the Atlantic coast of Galicia and the Cantabrian communities, although in the interior of both it may exceed 25 degrees. In the same way, on the Catalan coast and in the north of the Valencian Community the temperatures will be milder due to the breezes.
The episode of heat could last until Saturday, when the entry of an Atlantic air mass is expected to cool the country, although that day will still be “very hot” in the east and in the Balearic Islands, with 35 degrees.
Given the predictions of the Aemet, the General Directorate of Civil Protection and Emergencies of the Ministry of the Interior has alerted the “high risk” of forest fires due to “exceptionally high temperatures” during the next few days.
The government body asks to pay special attention to the regulations of the autonomous community on fire prevention and periods authorized to carry out stubble burning. Also, avoid reckless behavior and take personal measures to avoid heat stroke.